Cigarette package



March 4, 1958 W. V, RICHNER CIGARETTE PACKAGE Filed Oct. '7, 1954CIGARETTE PACKAGE William V. Richner, Champaign, Ill., assignor ofone-half to James F. Hefiernan, William LHelfernan, Mari] E. Heifernan,and. Stanley E. Workman, doing business as JJ. Heffernan and Son,Champaign, Ill., a Partnership Application. October 7-, 1954, Serial No,469,891

4 Claims. Cl. 131-257) The invention relates generally to cigarettepackages and more particularly to a` package provided with a holder forholding a lighted cigarette.

The general object of the invention, is to provide a cigarette packagehaving novel means for holding a cigarette in such a manner that thecigarette is firmly held andy cannot Vfall or roll away from thepackage.

Another important object is to provide a cigarette package having novelmeans for holding a lighted cigarette by which the lighted end of thecigarette is held spaced from the package so that it cannot burn thepackage.

A further object is to provide a cigarette package having novel meansfor holding a cigarette which will hold the cigarette firmly but willnot tear the paper covering of the cigarette.

Still another object is to provide a cigarette package having novelmeans for holding a cigarette which may be enclosed in a standard fromof package and becomes available for use on opening the package in theusual manner.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cigarette package embodying thefeatures of the invention and having a cigarette holder with aV lightedcigarette positioned therein;

Fig. 2 is a top or end view of the cigarette package shown in Fig. 1with the holder in position for use;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the layers orwrappers of the wrapping for the package and showing the holder securedthereto;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the cigarette package whenclosed;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of theV cigarette package whenpartially opened; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of another form of cigarettepackage.

The invention is adapted for use With a cigarette package of the typecomprising a multi-layer wrapping enclosing a plurality of cigarettes,the wrapping being made of flexible sheet material. In this form ofpackage there is incorporated a holder for holding either a lighted orunlighted cigarette and which becomes accessible for use when thepackage is opened in the usual manner as by tearing off a portion of thewrapping at one end of the package.

The wrapping for a package of this character usually comprises a lner inthe form of a sheet of paper having a metallic foil covering. Such lineris wrapped around a plurality of cigarettes, usually twenty, and is of awidth sufiicient to extend beyond the ends of. the cigarettes. Thepackage is molded into a rectilinear form, and the extending portions ofthe lner are folded over the ends of the cigarettes to completely clc-sethem. Thus in Fig. 3

atent 2325343 Ice Pgttented Mar. 4, 1958 I have shown a fragmentaryportion of such a liner, indicatedl at `10, before beingwrapped aboutthe cigarettes.

With such a lner, the extending portion thereof, at that cient so thatthe portion 13 overlaps or covers a part of' the portion 12 and bothportions 12 'and 13 overlap parts of'portions 11, as their namesindicate.

Enclosing the liner is another layer, indicated at 14, consu'tuting acovering jacket for the lner. Such jacket is usually of paperand isprinted on its exterior surface to show the trademark for the cigarettesand other data.y

Thev layer 14 is wrapped around the` liner 1G in the same manner as thelatter is'wrappe'd around the cigarettes andl is of such width that one.edge thereo-f liesV at or adjacent the upper end of the package, asindicated at 15 in Fig. l. The opposite edge extends beyond the otherend of the package and is folded, as indicated at 1o, in the same manneras the liner is folded at the ends of the package, to provide a completeclosure for that end of the package. The package is held closed by arevenue stamp 17 Which overlies the foldedportions 12 and 13 of the lner10 intermediate the sides ofl the package to leave parts of foldedportions 11, 12 and 13 exposed. The ends of the stamp 17 extend downonto the covering jacket 14, the stamp throughout its area being gluedto the package. The package may also. have an outer transparent sealingjacket usually made from a sheet of cellophane or the like and whichwill be more fully described in connection with the description of Fig.6 of the drawing.

A smoker frequently wishes to lay down his cigarette While it islighted. When no ash tray is immediately available, he can lay it onsome form of ledge with the lighted end protruding beyond such ledge. Ifthe ledge is Vprovided by an article of furniture and thesmoker forgetsthe fact that the cigarette is gradually burning shorter, it is apt toburn so far as to have the burning portion reach the article offurniture and produce an unsightly burn or scar thereon. Moreover, thereis nothing to keep the cigarette from rolling away, if the ledge is notabsolutely level, and it is apt to fall on the fioor.

If the smoker uses his package of cigarettes as a ledge, such package isnot always in a perfectly flat condition and the burning cigarette mayroll off of the package onto some surface where it would cause damage.Moreover, even if it did not roll ofi', if it were permitted to burn toolong in one position, the burning end Would reach the cellophanewrapping and set fire thereto. i I

As hereinbefore mentioned, the holder is adapted to be incorporated in acigarette package of the type described above. lt comprises a strip ofrelatively stitf material, indicated generally at 25) in Fig. 3, havingone end portion 21 adapted to be secured within the package in a mannerhereinafter described, and the other end portion, indicated at 22,formed to receive and hold a cigarette. The portion 22 is provided witha notch 23 in which the cigarette may be inserted. The strip 29 is bent,when in use, so that the portion 22 thereof is parallel to the endsurface of the package and extends substantially perpendicularly to oneface of the package, as indicated in Figs. l and 2. A lit cigarette maythen be placed in the holder, as shown in Fig. l, with a portion of thecigarette adjaeent't-helighted end Vthereof inserted within the notch 23and the other :end

of the cigarette lying on the face of the package. Thus the cigaretteWill be held firmly in position and cannot roll off the package.

. f The holder is also arranged, to extinguish the cigarette should itbe permitted to burn to a point approach- Ving the holder. To accomplishthis result, the notch 23 has a width slightly less than Vthe normaldiameter of the cigarette so that a slightpinchingefiect is Vproducedwhen W thez'cigaretteis inserted in the'notch 23.3 LThe pinching metfect Vcauses a' compacting of Vthe filling offthe ei'g'arette to'V'redu'ce the possibility of air flow throughthe filling` attlie Vpointwhere itis'g'rippedby the holder.V As a resultof such compacting,the'burning will'be extinguished Vas it approaches theV compactedportion because` Vof V lack of Vsufiicient oxygen to'isupport ombustionof the filling. VThe pinchingaction of the notch 23 -is en;hancedfby'formingthe lower end ,thereofV inf'a semi-V e circ'le', asindicated at'24, so vt hat notonly is the cigare'tte gripped atits sidesby thel'margins'of the notch 23, butV it is also gripped aroundritslower portion byzthesemi-V cularportion 24 to assist inthe.compactingactionrwhen the cigarette ils pushed down Within thenotch;

While the notch'23 etfectsa slight'pinching action'on e the'ciga'rette,it is so Vformedfth'at the paper of the cigarette will not beft'orn asit is being inserted into theV notch. To this end, `corners formed bythe, outcr endV edge of the portion 22 and the margins of the notch'23arerounded'as at 25 to avoid sharp corners at these points which mightcause a tearing of the paper. The outer corners 26 of the portion 22 mayalso be rounded to prevent scratching the user's ,finger The strip 20V`constituting the holder is preferablymade ofV a thin,

stif, scorc'h-resistant cardboard of a'hardencd character.

It of course may be made Vof other suitable material butL cardboardfisprobably the'least expensive and easiest'to handle in connection .with apackage of this type. V -As heretofore mentioned, the end VportionV21Vof the V strip 20 VisV adapted to be'secured within the package andpreferably underlies the various layers of the wrapping.

In the preferred embodiment, Vthe end yportion 21 of the holder isadapted to be glued or otherwise secured to the inner surface of .theliner }in such a position that Vthe portion 22 may Vreadily be bent tothe position shown in Figs. 1' and 2. The portions 2,1'and 22 of theholder are integralV because of being part of the same strip,y butV ,theportion 22 may be Vreadily bent relative totheA portion 271 byVproviding a hinge efliect as by creasing the strip transversely thereofVat the juncture between the'portions `21 andi22. The portion 21 is thusheld under the liner 10 when the package is opened so that the portion22 is 'accessible and may be bent into its operative position as by therevenuer'stamp 17, since inopening the package the partsof the foldedportions at one side of the Vreve- Vnue stamp are torn away to obtainaccess to theV ciga- With the holder located in this* position, it isaccessible for use whenV the package isV Vopened. f e

rettes within the package.

When theV package is made up, the end portion 22 is folded flat againstthe end ofV lthe cigarettes under the folded end portions 11,VV 12 and13 of the liner. The package may hey opened in'the usual manner to gainaccess to the holder. While different people have Vdiffere Vent habitsin connection with opening packages of ciga-V rettes,` one usual wayisVtoV first grasp the portion of theV overlap 13 beyond the revenuestampV 17 and tear it along the edge of the revenue stamp to form atriangularV portion 30, as shown in Fig. S. Such triangular portion 30the edgeV of the package formed byV the top and thefacc thereof and thetearing is continued along the edge formed by thetop and the side of thepackage to remove the side:

portion of the side fold V11 and then the portion 30 is= torn ofl, if ithas not already been removed. j V

The portion 22 of the holder is thus exposed :soV that it may be bentthroughV 1809 to the position' shown Vin Figs. l and 2 and fully. exposethe underlying cigarettes.V

in the package. To be sure that the correct sidejportion of the .top isopened to..expose the holder, the words Open Here may bezprinted 'on`thecovering jacket 14 a f at the side of Vthe package'where. the holder isplaced,

, .as shown in thedrawing. Thus the Vuser will becau-V tioned so thathezwillzopen that side of the topwhichi will expose VtheV holden' f e fo .a

In Fig.V 6, lI have` shownV another e'mb'odirnepnfi'of` the Vinventionin whichthe'holderV is held Vin place*` by Vthe outer or covering jacket14- under the transparent sea ling jacket constituting the outer. layerof the Ordinary;A

wrapping for a package ofrcigarettes.V 'Such'a sealing j'acket enclosesthe entire package and usuallyis` provided Hwith a tearzzstrip 32extendng Vabout theV package, adjaof the foldedportionsof V shown inPigs. 1 and 2. The position,V of the holder is Valso such that itislocated outside ofrthe 'area' coveredV Vcent the topfth'ereof.v.Thet'earlstrip'32is'nsually provided with a tab 33 by which it.maybeigrasped to.

pull Vthe strip around the Vpackageand 'effect theztearin'g'V V actiononVthe transp'arent materialf.r In this manner .the

e entire endportion of the transparent jacket is're nroved.V tIn theconstructionshown inlthisrfignre,` the'holde'rV isVV ofthe same formas'sho'wn' in Fgs; 1 Vand 2 butits seclrl'-V ing Vportion 21V isattached toeith'er the inner surface or in Figs. 1 and 2. When theportion 22 is` opened,` the' side Vparts of the folded 'portions of thelinerf 10 may tbere V' moved to open Vthe Vpackage in the same :manneras ldescribed in connection nwith Fig.V 'i After use of the holder i inthis form of package, the'portion maybe rebent e into the .positionshownin Fig.v 6 and willzassist in retain- V ing cigarettes Within thepackage even though thel sidepart the liner have been removed.: e Iclaim; Y e

1. In a cigarette packafge'containing'aplurality'of cigarettes, thecombination of wrapper meansenclosing said cigarettes and havingvendportions folded over the ends of the cigarettes, and a cigaretteholder comprising a'setrfip i of relatively'stifi sheet material havinga pre'form'ed` trans- V Verse bend for divding the strip ,into asecuringportion i V and a cigarette-holding portion,said'jsecuringfiportion being attached to said wrapper means `at Vtheinterior' thereof so as to constitute a normally inseparable'partof thepackage with `said,` cigarette-holding .portionzbeing vfolded inwardlyofthe package along. said bend substantially perpendicularly to saidsecuring portion a'n'dtrver-jz` e lying the Vends offthe cigarettesunder said.folddend` portions of thewrapper means, saidVcigarette-holding porz tion; uponvopening Vof theV wrapper-meansatisaidffolded Vend portions, ,being foldable; outwardly' ,ofV *the,package along said bend through substantially 180?V toits oppositesubstantially perpendicular position relative to sad; securmay be tornolf v,at that time 'or left in its open ``vposition V Y :as shown inthatefigure. The Vuser then grasps the'V portionof the underlap 12 atthe side of the revenue stampV 1,7 andV tears Vit along the edge of thestamp to form atriangular portion 31. The portion 31 is then torn alonging portion, and Vsaid cigarette-holding portionV being'vv pro- A Vvided with a notch for receiving fand'supporting'a cig-i arette in saidoutwardly foldedposition. ,5 f f e 2.. The package of claim 1 furthercharacterized infthat n said preformed transversebend issubstantiallycoincident with a corner fold `c`f 'said.wrapper` means andsaid cigar-V v.

ette-holdingportion 'is dispo's'ed at` one side of'aniend of the packageso Vas to be readily' accessible 1.1pon. n'orrnal'V opening.of'thepackage by tearing or removal. of` the folded end portions of theWrapper means at said package end.

3. The package of claim 1 further characterized in that said Wrappermeans comprises at least two layers with said securing portion of saidholder being permanently 5 afixed to the innermost layer.

4. The package of claim 1 further characterized in that said Wrappermeans comprises an innerrnost wrapping surrounding said cigarettes andan Outer jacket around said wrapping with said securing portion of saidholder 10 being permanently afiixed to said jacket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Smithet al. Jan. 25, 1898 Fuller et al Feb. 11, 1913 Wirth Aug. 29, 1933Brueck Oct. 9, 1934 Gray Sept. 29, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Great BritainFeb. 9, 1922 Great Britain Jan. 26, 1933 Canada Aug. 2, 1949

